The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry, 2015
Depression has been identified as a priority disorder among children and adolescents. While numer... more Depression has been identified as a priority disorder among children and adolescents. While numerous reviews have examined the individual and family factors that contribute to child and adolescent depressive symptoms, less is known about community-level risk and protective factors. The aim of this study was to complete a systematic review to identify community risk and protective factors for depression in school-aged children (4-18 years). The review adopted the procedures recommended by the Cochrane Non-Randomised Studies Methods Working Group and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify both observational and intervention study designs in both peer-reviewed and non-peer reviewed publications. A total of 21 studies met the inclusion criteria. Seventeen of the 18 community association studies and 2 of the 3 intervention studies reported one or more significant effects. Resu...
Journal of epidemiology and community health, Jan 2, 2015
An increased prevalence of risky alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm has been reported f... more An increased prevalence of risky alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm has been reported for members of sporting groups and at sporting venues compared with non-sporting populations. While sports clubs and venues represent opportune settings to implement strategies to reduce such risks, no controlled trials have been reported. The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of an alcohol management intervention in reducing risky alcohol consumption and the risk of alcohol-related harm among community football club members. A cluster randomised controlled trial of an alcohol management intervention was undertaken with non-elite, community football clubs and their members in New South Wales, Australia. Risky alcohol consumption (5+ drinks) at the club and risk of alcohol-related harm using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were measured at baseline and postintervention. Eighty-eight clubs participated in the trial (n=43, Intervention; n=45, Control...
This study was aimed to assess, using vignettes, the impact of a hypothetical 'designated dri... more This study was aimed to assess, using vignettes, the impact of a hypothetical 'designated driver' (DD) initiative on level of intended alcohol consumption. A secondary aim was to assess whether using any form of transport where someone else drove was associated with level of intended consumption. A total of 390 individual sports club members from 72 clubs in New South Wales, Australia, completed a telephone survey. Individuals were randomized into one of two groups: one receiving a hypothetical vignette where the sports club members drank in a setting that provided a DD program; and the other receiving a vignette where the setting in which sports club members drank did not have a DD program. Individuals in both groups were asked to estimate the amount of alcohol they would be likely to consume and the time over which they would consume alcohol, and to indicate the likely means of traveling home afterwards. No difference in the amount of alcohol intended to be consumed betwee...
This study investigated whether the number of alcohol outlets per 10,000 population in a given ar... more This study investigated whether the number of alcohol outlets per 10,000 population in a given area (density) influenced parental supply of alcohol to adolescents; differences in Australian born and acculturating parents were also examined. A state-representative student survey in Victoria identified that the majority of adolescents (55%) reported that they had used alcohol in the past 12months; 34 % of those who had consumed alcohol reported that it had been supplied by their parents. Multilevel modelling identified that there were no overall effects of density, however there were different effects based on parent country of birth and type of license. Specifically, each unit increase in the density of takeaway liquor stores increased the likelihood by 2.03 that children with both Australian-born parents would be supplied alcohol. Adolescents with both migrant parents on the other hand, had a 1.36 increased risk of being supplied alcohol as the density of outlets requiring at-venue ...
Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals, 2012
Little is known of the extent to which senior sports clubs support the consumption of healthy foo... more Little is known of the extent to which senior sports clubs support the consumption of healthy food and beverages. This study of senior community football clubs aimed to describe: i) the food and beverages available in club canteens; ii) the perceived acceptability of club representatives (e.g. club president or secretary) to selling healthy food and beverages in club canteens; iii) the perceived barriers of club representatives to providing healthy food and beverage options in their club canteen; iv) the associations between the availability of healthy options in canteens, perceived barriers to healthy food and drink availability, and club characteristics; and (v) the food and beverages usually purchased from canteens by club members. The study involved 70 senior community football clubs (Australian Rules Football, Soccer, Rugby League and Rugby Union) across New South Wales, Australia. Club representatives and club members took part in cross-sectional telephone surveys. The most fr...
Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals, 2012
There is accumulating evidence supporting a link between alcohol industry sponsorship and alcohol... more There is accumulating evidence supporting a link between alcohol industry sponsorship and alcohol-related problems in both community and elite-level sports. Little is known, however, about the current status of such sponsorship, particularly of community sport. This study aimed to assess associations between alcohol industry sponsorship and different community football clubs in Australia. The study involved 101 community football clubs across New South Wales, Australia. One representative from each club took part in a cross-sectional telephone survey designed to assess club (football code, number of players, socioeconomic and geographic descriptors) and alcohol industry sponsorship (money, equipment, free alcohol or discounted alcohol) characteristics. Chi-square analysis was used to test associations between club characteristics, and: i) any alcohol industry sponsorship; and ii) type of sponsorship. Eighty-eight per cent of clubs reported receiving sponsorship from the alcohol indu...
Introduction Excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for considerable harm from chronic dise... more Introduction Excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for considerable harm from chronic disease and injury. Within most developed countries, members of sporting clubs consume alcohol at levels above that of communities generally. Despite the potential benefits of interventions to address alcohol consumption in sporting clubs, there have been no randomised controlled trials to test the effectiveness of these interventions. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a comprehensive accreditation intervention with community football clubs (Rugby League, Rugby Union, soccer/association football and Australian Rules football) in reducing excessive alcohol consumption by club members. Methods and analysis The study will be conducted in New South Wales, Australia, and employ a cluster randomised controlled trial design. Half of the football clubs recruited to the trial will be randomised to receive an intervention implemented over two and a half winter sporting seasons. ...
Although previous studies have suggested that greater community densities of alcohol sales outlet... more Although previous studies have suggested that greater community densities of alcohol sales outlets are associated with greater alcohol use and problems, the mechanisms are unclear. The present study examined whether density was associated with increased purchasing of alcohol by adolescents younger than the legal purchase age of 18 in Australia. The number of alcohol outlets per 10,000 population was identified within geographic regions in Victoria, Australia. A state-representative student survey (N = 10,143) identified adolescent reports of purchasing alcohol, and multilevel modeling was then used to predict the effects for different densities of outlet types (packaged, club, on-premise, general, and overall). Each extra sales outlet per 10,000 population was associated with a significant increase in the risk of underage adolescent purchasing. The strongest effect was for club density (odds ratio = 1.22) and packaged (takeaway) outlet density (odds ratio = 1.12). Males, older children, smokers, and those with substance-using friends were more likely to purchase alcohol. One mechanism by which alcohol sales outlet density may influence population rates of alcohol use and related problems is through increasing the illegal underage purchasing of alcohol.
Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals, 2010
Health promotion with adolescents spans many contexts including schools. Income and its distribut... more Health promotion with adolescents spans many contexts including schools. Income and its distribution, education and social exclusion are key social determinants of health. Exclusionary school policies such as school suspension contribute to exclusion, increase the likelihood of school dropout (reducing educational and subsequent employment opportunities), and negatively impact on student wellbeing. Often excluded students are from socio-economically disadvantaged areas. This paper examines associations between area level socio-economic status (SES) and school suspension in Australian students. Students (8,028) in years 6 (n = 4393) and 8 (n = 3635) completed a comprehensive social development survey administered in schools in 30 socio-economically stratified communities in 2006. Associations between area level SES and school suspension were found. Relative to students in the lowest SES quartile communities, students in mid level and high SES had lower suspension rates. These effects...
In keeping with previous reports in the series, this report also compares and contrasts the exper... more In keeping with previous reports in the series, this report also compares and contrasts the experiences and opinions of practitioners with the research evidence. Ten practitioners working in prevention or treatment were consulted, most of whom had ten or more years' experience in the field. Some of these practicitioners' comments are consistent with the literarture, while others challenge the findings. We hope this report makes information about this widely used drug more accessible to practitioners, particularly those working in the area of prevention.
The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry, 2015
Depression has been identified as a priority disorder among children and adolescents. While numer... more Depression has been identified as a priority disorder among children and adolescents. While numerous reviews have examined the individual and family factors that contribute to child and adolescent depressive symptoms, less is known about community-level risk and protective factors. The aim of this study was to complete a systematic review to identify community risk and protective factors for depression in school-aged children (4-18 years). The review adopted the procedures recommended by the Cochrane Non-Randomised Studies Methods Working Group and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify both observational and intervention study designs in both peer-reviewed and non-peer reviewed publications. A total of 21 studies met the inclusion criteria. Seventeen of the 18 community association studies and 2 of the 3 intervention studies reported one or more significant effects. Resu...
Journal of epidemiology and community health, Jan 2, 2015
An increased prevalence of risky alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm has been reported f... more An increased prevalence of risky alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm has been reported for members of sporting groups and at sporting venues compared with non-sporting populations. While sports clubs and venues represent opportune settings to implement strategies to reduce such risks, no controlled trials have been reported. The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of an alcohol management intervention in reducing risky alcohol consumption and the risk of alcohol-related harm among community football club members. A cluster randomised controlled trial of an alcohol management intervention was undertaken with non-elite, community football clubs and their members in New South Wales, Australia. Risky alcohol consumption (5+ drinks) at the club and risk of alcohol-related harm using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were measured at baseline and postintervention. Eighty-eight clubs participated in the trial (n=43, Intervention; n=45, Control...
This study was aimed to assess, using vignettes, the impact of a hypothetical 'designated dri... more This study was aimed to assess, using vignettes, the impact of a hypothetical 'designated driver' (DD) initiative on level of intended alcohol consumption. A secondary aim was to assess whether using any form of transport where someone else drove was associated with level of intended consumption. A total of 390 individual sports club members from 72 clubs in New South Wales, Australia, completed a telephone survey. Individuals were randomized into one of two groups: one receiving a hypothetical vignette where the sports club members drank in a setting that provided a DD program; and the other receiving a vignette where the setting in which sports club members drank did not have a DD program. Individuals in both groups were asked to estimate the amount of alcohol they would be likely to consume and the time over which they would consume alcohol, and to indicate the likely means of traveling home afterwards. No difference in the amount of alcohol intended to be consumed betwee...
This study investigated whether the number of alcohol outlets per 10,000 population in a given ar... more This study investigated whether the number of alcohol outlets per 10,000 population in a given area (density) influenced parental supply of alcohol to adolescents; differences in Australian born and acculturating parents were also examined. A state-representative student survey in Victoria identified that the majority of adolescents (55%) reported that they had used alcohol in the past 12months; 34 % of those who had consumed alcohol reported that it had been supplied by their parents. Multilevel modelling identified that there were no overall effects of density, however there were different effects based on parent country of birth and type of license. Specifically, each unit increase in the density of takeaway liquor stores increased the likelihood by 2.03 that children with both Australian-born parents would be supplied alcohol. Adolescents with both migrant parents on the other hand, had a 1.36 increased risk of being supplied alcohol as the density of outlets requiring at-venue ...
Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals, 2012
Little is known of the extent to which senior sports clubs support the consumption of healthy foo... more Little is known of the extent to which senior sports clubs support the consumption of healthy food and beverages. This study of senior community football clubs aimed to describe: i) the food and beverages available in club canteens; ii) the perceived acceptability of club representatives (e.g. club president or secretary) to selling healthy food and beverages in club canteens; iii) the perceived barriers of club representatives to providing healthy food and beverage options in their club canteen; iv) the associations between the availability of healthy options in canteens, perceived barriers to healthy food and drink availability, and club characteristics; and (v) the food and beverages usually purchased from canteens by club members. The study involved 70 senior community football clubs (Australian Rules Football, Soccer, Rugby League and Rugby Union) across New South Wales, Australia. Club representatives and club members took part in cross-sectional telephone surveys. The most fr...
Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals, 2012
There is accumulating evidence supporting a link between alcohol industry sponsorship and alcohol... more There is accumulating evidence supporting a link between alcohol industry sponsorship and alcohol-related problems in both community and elite-level sports. Little is known, however, about the current status of such sponsorship, particularly of community sport. This study aimed to assess associations between alcohol industry sponsorship and different community football clubs in Australia. The study involved 101 community football clubs across New South Wales, Australia. One representative from each club took part in a cross-sectional telephone survey designed to assess club (football code, number of players, socioeconomic and geographic descriptors) and alcohol industry sponsorship (money, equipment, free alcohol or discounted alcohol) characteristics. Chi-square analysis was used to test associations between club characteristics, and: i) any alcohol industry sponsorship; and ii) type of sponsorship. Eighty-eight per cent of clubs reported receiving sponsorship from the alcohol indu...
Introduction Excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for considerable harm from chronic dise... more Introduction Excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for considerable harm from chronic disease and injury. Within most developed countries, members of sporting clubs consume alcohol at levels above that of communities generally. Despite the potential benefits of interventions to address alcohol consumption in sporting clubs, there have been no randomised controlled trials to test the effectiveness of these interventions. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a comprehensive accreditation intervention with community football clubs (Rugby League, Rugby Union, soccer/association football and Australian Rules football) in reducing excessive alcohol consumption by club members. Methods and analysis The study will be conducted in New South Wales, Australia, and employ a cluster randomised controlled trial design. Half of the football clubs recruited to the trial will be randomised to receive an intervention implemented over two and a half winter sporting seasons. ...
Although previous studies have suggested that greater community densities of alcohol sales outlet... more Although previous studies have suggested that greater community densities of alcohol sales outlets are associated with greater alcohol use and problems, the mechanisms are unclear. The present study examined whether density was associated with increased purchasing of alcohol by adolescents younger than the legal purchase age of 18 in Australia. The number of alcohol outlets per 10,000 population was identified within geographic regions in Victoria, Australia. A state-representative student survey (N = 10,143) identified adolescent reports of purchasing alcohol, and multilevel modeling was then used to predict the effects for different densities of outlet types (packaged, club, on-premise, general, and overall). Each extra sales outlet per 10,000 population was associated with a significant increase in the risk of underage adolescent purchasing. The strongest effect was for club density (odds ratio = 1.22) and packaged (takeaway) outlet density (odds ratio = 1.12). Males, older children, smokers, and those with substance-using friends were more likely to purchase alcohol. One mechanism by which alcohol sales outlet density may influence population rates of alcohol use and related problems is through increasing the illegal underage purchasing of alcohol.
Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals, 2010
Health promotion with adolescents spans many contexts including schools. Income and its distribut... more Health promotion with adolescents spans many contexts including schools. Income and its distribution, education and social exclusion are key social determinants of health. Exclusionary school policies such as school suspension contribute to exclusion, increase the likelihood of school dropout (reducing educational and subsequent employment opportunities), and negatively impact on student wellbeing. Often excluded students are from socio-economically disadvantaged areas. This paper examines associations between area level socio-economic status (SES) and school suspension in Australian students. Students (8,028) in years 6 (n = 4393) and 8 (n = 3635) completed a comprehensive social development survey administered in schools in 30 socio-economically stratified communities in 2006. Associations between area level SES and school suspension were found. Relative to students in the lowest SES quartile communities, students in mid level and high SES had lower suspension rates. These effects...
In keeping with previous reports in the series, this report also compares and contrasts the exper... more In keeping with previous reports in the series, this report also compares and contrasts the experiences and opinions of practitioners with the research evidence. Ten practitioners working in prevention or treatment were consulted, most of whom had ten or more years' experience in the field. Some of these practicitioners' comments are consistent with the literarture, while others challenge the findings. We hope this report makes information about this widely used drug more accessible to practitioners, particularly those working in the area of prevention.
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Papers by Bosco Rowland